Crimson Shadows
by rosannahstar
Summary: The Labyrinth is being destroyed. Sarah is afraid. The Goblin King is livid... He wants her back. But all she wants it do is run.
1. Chapter 1

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Labyrinth. Never have, and never will :(**_

_"Everything I've done I've done for you..."_

The words repeated themselves inside of his head like a broken record. The shards of the disk cut into him like a million needles that he couldn't avoid. They were inside of him, tearing him apart from the inside out. His heart felt colder than ever and he couldn't stop the feeling of darkness that was building up inside him, threatening to consume him. The words that he had once thought would finally make Sarah love him were now killing him slowly and he could do nothing to stop the pain.

_"I move the stars for no one..._

But that wasn't entirely true was it? If it were within his power he would have done anything to make her happy. Even the stars didn't compare to the undying devotion that Jareth felt whenever he saw her shine. He'd hated her in those last few moments before she disappeared. He'd looked into her eyes as she desperately fought for her brother and she'd seen into his heart. She was the first creature who had cut into him so deep that she could see his entire soul, let alone the first mortal. She'd gazed into the dirty and black abyss that was his heart and her expression wasn't anything like he had expected. He'd expected pity, disgust or maybe even mercy. They were all emotions that he despised, but what he saw behind her emerald eyes was even worse. He searched for anything that he could find that might be more than what he feared was all that he could see. But there was nothing more... All he could see was cold rejection.

_"Your eyes can be so cruel, just as I can be so cruel." _

He felt nothing but darkness now. His heart was gone and now a cold and frozen space remained. Icy spikes of hatred dug into his heart making it bleed. Life was draining out of him and he couldn't stop it no matter how much he tried to grasp at what was left. He didn't think that anything could hurt quite this much. He'd scream out in his agony if he could but his throat felt hoarse, as if daggers were tearing him apart from the inside out. He'd tried to forget. He'd tried to forget for so long but he just couldn't. Her eyes bore into him and even though he felt nothing but pain he suddenly felt the urge to tear those eyes out of his own memory. Tear them away from his life, tear them away from his waking dreams and sleeping nightmare, tear them away from every time he sang. Tear them away from her face... He loved her so much but the feeling of resentment was building until it became an angry roar, building up from inside his very core and tearing from him. That silent cry was enough. The labyrinth shook and screamed in response. Waves of wind tore at the walls, ripping some of them to shreds in an instant. The light from the sky dimmed until the entirety of it was just a sea of red and black endlessly stirring in the restless sky. He was the Goblin King. It was his Labyrinth. And now the

Labyrinth was feeding off of his anger, his frustration and his agony. The Labyrinth was no longer alive with mystery, no longer bright with wonder. Now it was living off pain.

_"Tell me Sarah, what do you think of my labyrinth?"_

Jareth didn't feel anything anymore. All anger had drained away to replace nothingness. Jareth was gone, hidden by a defensive wall of grief. The Goblin King was all that remained. The one sentence that had plagued him since the day she abandoned him rang in his head like heavenly bells. He couldn't escape it, but he no longer wanted to. He loved the sound. The agony it caused was nothing compared to the beauty it held within it. It was like gripping a rose by its thorns in your bare hand. It remained one of the most beautiful things in the world no matter how much the thorns cut into your skin.

"_You have no power over me."_

"Those words were spoken with such conviction. They were so powerful when she first spoke them. Now they were nearly worthless. Why? Because the Goblin King no longer feared them. "You're right my dear, I don't have any power over you. But you'll come back, my love. When the dust settles and the veil lifts you will finally see me as you have never seen me before. Then the wolf will cry and the dragons heart will beat once again. Only then will the games finally end." His words making even the air around him quiver the Goblin King turned his back.

_"Through dangers untold... And hardships unnumbered."_

"The book. Read the book again Sarah. Please read the book. Read the book and return. Read it Sarah..." That single prayer was repeated by thousands of creatures all around the labyrinth. They pleaded and begged and if their hearts were about to explode. But truthfully, their hearts were now tainted. Painted black they only gave a dull beat hidden within layers of despair. They echoed the Goblin King's own heartbeat buried beneath the cloth of his skin. Somewhere deep within that heartbeat Jareth whimpered, hiding within himself, lost in his agony. He was hiding behind the Goblin King hoping against hope that one day Sarah would remember and she would call his name once again. But for now all he could do was wait...

_"Sarah, beware. I have been generous up 'til now. I can be cruel..."_

*Line Break*

"Breath, Sarah."

Sarah gazed through the panic to lock eyes with Lucy. Lucy only smiled back in reply, making a calming gesture with her arms, her blue eyes sparkling. Sarah locked their gaze and focused on calming herself. Her breath rattled in her chest and her green eyes sparkled as tears she refused to let fall gathered up behind her eyes. She couldn't understand why she saw what she just did. Occasionally when she tried to act she'd see the Labyrinth in all of its mystery. She'd see the way that the walls twisted and turned and the way the sky moved like it was part of a huge clockwork. She'd sometimes see it when she tried to write as well. But she'd never seen it like just before. It looked... Horrible. It looked dark and dangerous and it shook her to the very core.

Instead of letting herself get scared she looked at Lucy. The old woman was smiling, her eyes reflecting a kind of carefree youth that Sarah thought would have been lost way before. The wrinkles in the corner of her eyes creased when she smiled, but Sarah felt it made her look more kind and gentle, like someone's grandmother.

Sarah wasn't used to seeing that kind of kindness from someone. She was reminded of her Stepmother and the way that she looked at her. Her father couldn't see it... As usual he was blind. But, even though everything else had gotten better for Sarah since her return from the Labyrinth, her relationship with her stepmother had only gotten worse. She'd often caught her stepmother looking in on her when she put on her clothes and combed her hair eying her slim frame and soft hair with envy. When Sarah's stepmother saw Sarah now she'd either refuse to look at her or try to put her down in front of her father. To his credit he never said anything back but it hurt Sarah that he never put Irene right ever. So, every dinner Sarah was forced to hear her stepmother bitching about the fact that she never seemed to have a boyfriend, that even though she was blessed with good looks she never tried to do anything and didn't care about her appearance and most hurtful was when her stepmother said that she clearly didn't care about Toby at all. Sarah would never tell her family about the Labyrinth but in those moments she had never been closer...

However, no matter how much Sarah tried to calm down her hands continued to shake. No matter how much she tried to force the memory back she could still remember the words that had shaken her from the images of the Labyrinth and those words weren't from Lucy.

"Sarah, beware. I have been generous up 'til now. I can be cruel." Those words had scared her when the Goblin King had first said them and now that the memory came back full force she was terrified. They sounded even more threatening than before.

"Hey Sarah, you don't have to push yourself sweetheart. How about you go home if you're not feeling well and come back tomorrow when you feel better." Lucy smiled at her reassuringly.

Sarah meekly nodded in reply and rushed off the stage and to the back of the room to fetch her bags. Acting used to be the one way that Sarah was able to keep her frightening memories of the Labyrinth private and to the back of her mind. It was like when she acted she was a different person with different memories. However, today after that vision the script was quivering in her hands from the shaking of her hands and her head hurt. Usually the worse time the Labyrinth affected her was when someone tried to kiss her. If a boy drew too close she would always look back into the same haunting eyes and pull away. This was almost as bad. She wished above anything that she remembered the Goblin Kings real name. It always seemed a lot less scary when she knew, as if just knowing his name made him seem more human. But shortly after arriving home she forgot.

She reached her house soon after leaving the building. It was only a short walk away. She thought that when she arrived at her house she'd feel a lot more at ease. But she didn't... In fact the feeling of dread that had been building up inside of her was now much worse than it had been before. Her bad move didn't improve any when she entered the kitchen and her stepmother was stood, setting the table ready for when Sarah's father came home from work. Irene always did this. It was as if she wanted Sarah's father to appreciate her more. Sarah couldn't understand why. Sarah already felt as thought her father appreciated Irene more than her.

He didn't seem to care what she thought about her stepmother. The only reason why Sarah was thankful to her stepmother was because of Toby. She loved her stepbrother like he was her real brother but she felt no love for her stepmother because her stepmother had never shown her any.

"Hello Sarah," Irene spoke, her voice almost robotic but with a sharp edge to it. "I didn't think you'd be back so soon."

Sarah knew that she was probably being paranoid but she was sure her stepmother's voice had a slight accusing tone to it.

"Mrs Evans let me go home early. She said we'd done enough for today."

Irene nodded but her expression betrayed a lack of interest.

"Sarah, I was wondering... I never see you with any friends, why don't you go and see them for a while?"

Sarah gritted her teeth, she always hated it when their conversations came to this.

"I don't-"

Irene laughed sharply.

"Sarah, if you say you don't have any friends one more time I might scream. You're a pretty, young girl. When I was your age I had plenty of friends and a boyfriend..."

Irene said but when she noticed Sarah was looking in the opposite direction she sighed.

"Oh, Sarah. Can you do me a favour? Your father and I are going out tonight. I want you to look after Toby."

"What?" Sarah asked her face growing red. "No, not today. I mean... You always go out, why do I always have to look after Toby? It isn't fair."

Sarah knew she was being childish but she didn't care. She didn't want to be alone tonight...

"Sarah-" Irene began with a shake of the head but Sarah cut her off.

"No!" Sarah yelled. "No, this isn't fair. You always do this! Dad says you do but you don't care about me at all. I don't want to be alone with Toby all night!"

"Oh, Sarah don't be so dramatic." Irene laughed. "Stop acting like such a baby."

At that Sarah lost it. No one called her a baby. She wasn't a baby... She was just afraid. Couldn't her stepmother see that? Didn't she care?

"You don't care about me at all! And you know what I don't care about you, I want you to leave me alone!" With that she turned out of the kitchen and stormed up to her bedroom. She made sure to make as much noise as she possibly could.

"Sarah! Come back here! You are being ridiculous. Of course you care about me."

Irene didn't understand... She knew she was acting like a baby but she was scared! Her head was killing her and nobody seemed to care.

"No I don't! I wouldn't even care if you died! At least then me and dad would be on our own again! We were doing fine without you... You know what I wish you'd just drop down dead!" With that Sarah opened her bedroom door and was about to storm into her room when she heard a frighteningly familiar voice whisper in her ear, with a voice as smooth as silk but as dangerous as a serpent.

"_Be careful what you wish for Sarah…"_

Sarah gasped and span round just in time to see her stepmother climbing the steps to her room her expression livid. Sarah reached out to her, and seeing this as a sign of surrender, Irene's expression softened. She reached out too. Their hands were so close to touching but it was too late… Irene's heel snapped and her mouth opened in panic. As if she'd been pushed Irene felt the air shift behind her and suddenly she was flying backwards through the air. She could have sworn that she heard a faint laugh in her ear. Sarah stood open mouthed, her outstretched arm hanging uselessly in mid-air. Irene toppled down the stairs, her head hitting the bottom step painfully. Then she just lay there, so still and unmoving. She looked like some sort of broken doll.

Sarah opened her mouth and she screamed…


	2. Chapter 2

**Authors Note: Sorry for the long wait guys. Thanks for the lovely reviews. They mean the world to me! So hope you like the next chapter. As usual, please review!**

She stood frozen at the top of the stairs, her outstretched had now shaking as tremors shook her entire body. Her mind echoed with the voice that had whispered to her so hauntingly and sinister but also so defiantly. It was the certainty in that voice that shook her to her core. She knew what she had said… She couldn't forget. Her own voice was rattling inside of her head alongside that one, pulsing on her brain repeatedly until a fierce panic consumed her. _"You know what I wish you'd just drop down dead." _As if snapping out of a trance Sarah shoved her hands over her ears and collapsed to her knees, feeling the fabric of the carpet scratch at her knees.

"No, no, no, no…" Sarah muttered closing her eyes in despair. This couldn't be happening. This wasn't real. Sarah wished so hard that she could just fall asleep and when she woke up this would all be a dream. Just a bad dream… She knew she should check if Irene was ok. If she was just unconscious, but then her own words rang in her head once again and tears sprung into her eyes. There was no doubt. She could hear the certainty of her own words and she could hear his words against her ear. _"Be careful what you wish for Sarah." _ Those words were soft in comparison to her yelled ones and they surrounded her like they were travelling on the air and then were gone. However, they held a deeper fear and a darkness that she didn't recognise. She wasn't naïve. She knew who it was. It was the Goblin King. But his voice was so twisted and distorted in that single moment that she almost didn't recognise that it was him. She tried to bring her memory back to the almost song like quality of his voice that she recognised before but couldn't find much of a connection between the two. This voice was ominous and foreboding. This voice was something new.

Slowly opening her eyes slightly, she looked down the stairs at her stepmothers crumpled body lying at the bottom of the stairs. Crimson stains were spreading from the point that her head had made contact with the floor, staining the pale carpet like a sick canvas. She wanted to reach down to her stepmother, check her pulse, see if her heart was still beating, all the things that she knew she should. But for some reason she couldn't convince her body to move. She raised her hand to her mouth and began biting the nail on her finger, shredding the nail between her teeth. Dark eyes focused on the stained fabric beside the crumpled bodies head. The figure's hair was thrown over her face, the brown strands masking the face that Sarah feared. She could just make out the ruby red lips, parted slightly as if Irene was dreaming.

Slowly and hesitantly forcing her body to move down a few steps so that she was closer, she felt certain that she couldn't see any breath escaping from those lips. A single strand of hair was lay, still and dead, resting on those lips. It didn't rise with the air that should be emerging from her stepmother's lungs. Instead it remained motionless… Just like the rest of her. Sarah wanted to step closer, but instead her nerve abandoned her and she collapsed to her knees, gripping her own hair tightly in her hands and sobbing harshly and tears spilled down her cheeks. As if sensing Sarah's lapse of bravery, a slight breeze blew through the room. Completely alien in such a still room, where the glow from the lights was sharp and harsh and the silence was deafening, it caused a faint sighing noise that shook Sarah even more. It lifted her stepmother's hair and pulled it away from her face, and Sarah gasped. Her stepmother's eyes were closed and her eyelashes rested on her high cheekbones. She looked peaceful and young. The blusher on her cheeks made her seem alive and content but her eyes had a dark shade around them where her eyeliner had smudged. She was too peaceful. Too content. She looked dead.

In that knowledge Sarah began to feel the presence that surrounded her even more strongly. At that Sarah broke down. Whimpering to herself she turned around and, ignoring the feeling that surrounded her quivering form, rushed up to her bedroom. She slammed the door shut and tried to ignore the presence that hadn't faded. She stood in the doorway to her room, a room she hadn't let change. A room that had been the same since the day she had rescued Toby from the Goblin King. Right now though, Sarah didn't want to think about Toby. She'd failed him. Once upon a time she was the one who was supposed to save him. Like the hero's in the fairy tales that she loved so much did. But now that she'd killed someone so close to him, all the purity in those memories were tainted. Ugly…

Sarah's silent screaming suddenly burst from her in a cry of rage, fear and horror. Anger the situation, fear because she knew exactly what or who this presence was and horror because she knew exactly what he was capable of. As she screamed she was dimly aware of Toby crying in the room next to her but she blocked it out. Sarah was lost in her bedroom with only her agony. Grabbing at anything she could she flung her books at the walls, shoved her ornaments to the flood so that they shattered into pieces and ripped at her hair with much more vigour than before. She screamed so loud she feared her lungs would burst, but at the same time didn't care. She would do anything to make this presence leave her alone. Anything to get it off of her.

Then finally she reached for the book that she'd always treasured. She picked up the book that made her hands shake and a thrill she couldn't describe rush through her blood. Her sense were overwhelmed and an animalistic feeling she didn't recognise flooded through her. She snarled at it digging her nails into the binder before getting ready to throw it into the wall harder than all of the other things she's broken. But then she heard something that made her stop in her tracks.

"_Read the book Sarah. Please read the book. We'll help you. Just please read the book Sarah. Read it. Read it."_

It was them. All the creatures in the Labyrinth were calling out to her. Their voices were drilling into her ears from the book, and she couldn't ignore them. Slamming the book onto her cabinet and flicking to a random page she breathed heavily for a moment before glaring into the paper.

"What do you want? What could I possibly do to help you? What can I do?" She yelled.

Tears of frustration dripped down her face and she bushed them away hastily.

Then she felt the presence gather behind her. A shiver trickled down her back as a hand rested on her shoulder. She didn't turn round, but she could imagine a figure. A figure so beautiful but also so terrible that it had haunted her dreams ever since she first saw him. A figure that could only belong to one creature alone. The light faded in the room and the silence grew even more intense until all that could be heard was Sarah's heavy breathing.

"Goblin King," Sarah whispered, her voice shaking.

"_I don't ask for much Sarah. Only for you… I need only you."_

After hearing those words, Sarah's world faded to black. But the glowing crimson shadow behind her only grinned in response.


	3. Chapter 3

**Authors Note: Ok, I got three lovely reviews on the last chapter so I decided to give you two chapters in two days! I'm unsure how this chapter will work and it is a little confusing but there is a reason for all of this. I hope you enjoy it. Please review.**

_The world was painted red. There was nothing to it that wasn't covered in ruby. The sky was covered in streaks that looked oddly like hundreds of veins overlapping in a criss-cross pattern. The veins pulsed and swam across the sky, like snakes wrapped up in each other and trying frantically to move. Down on the ground thousands of roses slowly bloomed. Their scent was strong and enchanting as they blew in a light breeze. Their petals uncurled as if they were waking up, but at the same time their thorns flashed dangerously. Sarah wanted to reach out and touch them but she quickly thought against it. She knew instinctively just by looking at them that despite how beautiful they appeared to be, they were dangerous. They whispered to her but she refused to step any closer. She could hear her heart beat in her ears, echoing around the beautiful world surrounding her. Her red dress billowed out around her, caught in an invisible wind that made her shiver. She leant her head backwards, letting her dark brown hair blow out behind her. If she spread her arms far enough out she would feel as though she was flying. She dared not do this though. Something was keeping her from moving and she was thankful. She didn't feel as though she was ready to let go just yet. _

_Instead, for the moment, she was content just to stand there. She breathed in deeply and then exhaled feeling all the worried she had in the world vanish. She couldn't remember anything. All she knew was that she was happy to be where she was. She couldn't wish for anything more…_

_Only when a drop of blood slid down from the top of her arm and down all of the way to the tip of her index finger did Sarah take notice of anything else. Shifting her gaze to her left, almost lazily, Sarah watched as the drop of blood rested on her fingernail for a moment and then fell through the air softly. As if suspended for a moment it hovered inches off the ground as Sarah watched it. She was transfixed by the way that it shimmered and glittered in the air. _

_Suddenly, as she waited for it to hit the awaiting roses, she began to feel a little apprehensive. It wasn't a feeling that she felt belonged in this world so it hit her hard. She gazed down as a single red rose emerged from the ground and uncurled its petals waiting for that single drop of blood to hit it. It waited hungrily and Sarah could swear she heard it whispering to her growing and growing until the intensity was almost too much. _

_However, just as it was about to land on the red rose's petals, time seemed to move impossibly slowly, and a hand reached out to catch the drop. The single drop of blood landed on pale skin and vanished in an instant. Sarah watched astounded at the point where the blood had vanished, almost as if it had been sucked into the skin. Her heartbeat grew in intensity until she could hear it all around her. But her heartbeat wasn't growing in fear, instead it was something different. Something she didn't recognise…_

_The hand slowly rose to her face and traced the line of her cheekbone, with the most graceful movements that Sarah had ever seen. The touch made her shake slightly but she didn't care. Her wide eyes gazed forward away from the hand and instead at the man who was stood in front of her vision. _

_The man was stood as still but his lips moved every so often in a smile. He was wearing a bright red top hat that somehow didn't look stupid. Instead it looked… Right. Everything here in Sarah's little world seemed to make perfect sense. She looked at his jacket next. This man was wearing all red but his jacket still stood out. It looked like a much darker and more beautiful colour than Sarah had ever seen. She couldn't describe it but that small moment of enchantment that had filled her when she looked into that single drop of blood was now reflected a thousand times in his jacket. His eyes were hidden behind a mask but his mouth could still be seen, lips smiling in a way that wasn't patronising but wasn't particularly comforting either. _

_A face swam into her mind. A face that she feared and despised. She looked at the small amount of hair that could be seen under his hat. It was brown, the same as hers. She liked to think that this showed it wasn't him, but she couldn't be certain…_

"_Goblin King?" Sarah asked, her voice quivering slightly._

_Suddenly, the man laughed. His voice sounded quite loud to her ears after so long of quiet. It sounded alive but sad. Immediately after, it was as if all the roses whimpered in surprise pain. Sarah winced as the rose petals burned with a flame so bright it stunned Sarah momentarily. Then all of a sudden, the flames separated flying off into red hot embers that lifted into the air and hovered there like stars in the night sky. Sarah stared at them as if transfixed by the beauty her head spinning with thoughts that were spiralling wildly out of control. _

"_No," The man said, his voice deep. "I know the Goblin King but I am most certainly not him."_

_Sarah smiled despite herself. The man smiled back twisting his hand slightly in the air until a single white bracelet appeared in his hands. _

"_I thought you might appreciate the colour more."_

_Sarah, without thinking, attached it around her wrist smiling happily and the bracelet glimmered with a sort of surreal beauty that she couldn't describe. Looking up into the mask that covered his eyes, she raised her hand up to grip his jacket._

"_Who are you?"_

_The man paused for a second. He reached up a hand to meet hers, prying it away from his jacket only to interlock their fingers together. The air seemed to dim around them and the atmosphere stilled as her heartbeat continued to beat wildly within her chest._

"_I'm the ringmaster," He stated simply, brushing her brown hair behind her ear. "I'll always be there to help you Sarah."_

_Sarah's breathing stopped for a moment and she tightened her hand around his as her concerns, her memories and her fears returning to her at a dramatic and alarming rate._

"_I don't know what he wants…" She said softly her voice breaking. "I… I don't want him to… Please. Don't let him kill me. You won't let him will you? Even if he wants to?" _

_The ring master was still for a moment before he backed away from her, his hand leaving hers. Sarah gasped at the sudden coldness from the lack of contact and brought her hand to her mouth in fear. _

"_You won't stop him will you?"_

_The ringmaster shook his head slightly, crimson lights spreading around him as his body faded into the surroundings as Sarah's perfect world began to crumble. _

"_Don't leave me!" Sarah begged rushing towards him and trying to grab onto him, anything that she could but her hands slipped past him as if her were made of water, or smoke. Tears spilled down her face endlessly. _

"_This is only the first time you'll see me. I've always been here and I always will be. I'll be here for you until your breathing stops. Until the end…"_

_With that he was gone. And so was her perfect world. Only shattered pieces of glass in a sea of red and black remained. She was falling. Falling into the Labyrinth. Falling into the Goblin Kings arms. She could hear his voice now, singing in her ear, his voice beautiful but deadly. _

"_Until the end_

_You'll see me there_

_Until the time that the world decides to end_

_Eternal and fearful the deer cried_

_Her breathing laboured but her head held high_

_Until the end you'll see me there_

_Nothing but a breath of dawn_

_A wisp of smoke_

_An eternal game of hide and seek_

_Until the end."_


	4. Chapter 4

**Authors Note: Sorry for the long wait. I had a case of writer's block to deal with, not to mention many school exams… Anyway I know where I'm going with this story now so that's good. Hopefully I'll be able to update more often. Hope you enjoy this. Please review!**

This time when Sarah's vision lurched back into focus it made her head spin. She was lying on something that scratched lightly at her skin and the wind from above her was tearing at her skin. As she opened her eyes she could see a new sky. But this sky lacked any comfort. The shades of blue overlapped and dull clouds were settling over the shaded. The clouds were grey but filled with an almost orange glow that cast over the sky further away from where Sarah was lying. The grass she was lay on was emerald green and sparkled beautifully in the breeze, but the tips felt like spikes of ice against her skin. Not liking the feeling Sarah sat up, her brown hair spreading down her back and blowing in the wind. She managed to push back the feeling of nausea that was threatening to overwhelm her, but couldn't stop her breath from hitching slightly when she caught sight of what was in front of her. The Labyrinth stretched out in front of her, the rocks were crumbling away from the walls slightly and the whole atmosphere that surrounded the place was different. But this was definitely it. This was definitely the Labyrinth.

That was when Sarah felt it. Sarah felt the pain, the agony and the terror that seemed to emit from the very core of the Labyrinth. It hit her full force and she breathed softly into the air. She gazed at the way her breath billowed out in front of her and sparkled slightly in the air. The Labyrinth was hurting and Sarah could feel the way it was calling out to her. But all of her instincts fought. They didn't want her to try and help the Labyrinth, they wanted her to run and to not turn back. Sarah hated to admit it to herself but she could feel in her gut that that was also the only sensible solution. But she couldn't see where she could run to…

"_This is the end Sarah."_

Sarah shivered involuntarily. Her eyes widened. She spun her body round to look at who was stood behind her and in an instant it was like the contrast of light blinded her. A man dressed in white gazed down at her, his eyes were shimmering with colours that mixed as they swam. Each colour seemed to represent a different emotion in and they swan with a kind of turmoil that Sarah thought was frightening but saddening all at the same time.

"_Pity me now Sarah?"_

The way that the Goblin King spoke made it seem as though the words were only breaths. The words seemed to be carried by the wind and rattle in her ears, gnawing away at her thoughts and beginning to plague her mind. His words had haunted her in her dreams since she last left the Labyrinth but Sarah knew nothing could compare to hearing his voice in person. In memory it seemed like only the slight venom left behind by the serpents bite, now she could see the serpents eyes, gazing at her, its fangs were ready to bite again. This time for the last time.

"No…" Sarah whispered, her voice cracking slightly, and sounded raw as if she was trying to talk through a thick sheet of sandpaper. She reached down to the ground, past the grass and began to dig her hands into the dirt. She could feel the way that it was slightly damp and the water collected around her skin as if it had just been raining. This was real. This was no dream. A memory of a crimson stained sky swam into her memory. The memory of a man dressed all in red and she longed to be back there with him again.

Looking down at her wrist she could see that the white bracelet he had given her was still there. It shone as brightly as ever, standing out brilliantly in the darkness of the now poisoned Labyrinth. She locked eyes with the Goblin King and saw that he was also looking at it, eying it with a sort of distain that she had never seen in his eyes before. It was as if he was gazing at something insignificant, something not worth his time or effort.

"_That's interesting Sarah." _The Goblin King said thoughtfully.

"_Now we seem to be wasting precious time. Time you will wish hadn't been wasted in a little while… Now Sarah it's time for my little game to begin."_

"What?" Sarah asked fearfully. Something about the way he had said the word game made everything around her seem to still. Her eyes stung as she became more fearful and reluctant to take her eyes off of him, even for a second. Then suddenly a new sadness came over her, "My stepmother… She's dead." She looked up at the Goblin King, her eyes pleading for him to tell her she was wrong. Her pleas went unanswered.

"_I know you like games Sarah… Many people your age would have grown up by now, but you never could, could you?" _The Goblin King knelt down beside Sarah's trembling form, his blond hair shone brighter than ever before, almost white. He reached out and lightly scraped the nail of his finger across her chin forcing her to raise her head, so her eyes were now directly locked with his. Those fearful eyes shook like the frightened eyes of a rabbit or a deer. The Goblin King breathed deeply. He raised his hand further so that his nail moved up her face, tracing the skin with ease.

"_Beautiful, as always Sarah. Don't ever grow any older." _

The Goblin King whispered, slowly moving away from her with movements so graceful it was as if they were the movements of a ghost.

"_You have only until the dawn of the third day to complete this game Sarah, you understand that don't you? Only then will everything be ok. If you really want to go home, then you'll have to win Sarah. Or, maybe if you're too tired you can just give in. Give up and I'll take you back with me. I'll make sure you never age. I'll make sure you are always happy forever. I'll do anything for you. You'll be beautiful… Preserved forever. "_

Suddenly, it was as if a burst of confidence grew within Sarah. She didn't like the way he was talking to her. It was… Patronising. She raised herself to her feet, still shaking slightly but pushing aside her fear.

"I have beaten you before Goblin King. I will do it again! I don't see what you can do to me anymore. I have said it before but you have no power over me! I am even stronger than I was before. If I go with you I will die. I know it! I don't trust you. " Sarah breathed deeply admiring the way that the Goblin King visibly recoiled from the sharp sting of her words. As he stepped back away from her the grass he brushed past turned brown and black crumbling into ash beneath his feet and all around him. His eyes narrowed dangerously and a new feeling settled over the Labyrinth, one of pure rage.

"_Fine, so be it_!_" _The Goblin Kingsaid through gritted teeth, his face showing a lack of composure she had never seen before.

"_The rules are simple enough. But the tasks aren't."_

Sarah watched him warily as the Goblin King circled her. She didn't like the way he seemed to hold all of the cards in this little game. She was still certain he wanted to kill her but she couldn't help but wonder if that was really all there was to it. Why would he bother with a game if he wanted to kill her? Why not just do it? Or was there more to what he wanted? Did he just want her?

For some reason that though made Sarah even more afraid than the concerns around her death. This was not the same Goblin King that she had met before. The Goblin King she met before was deadly and dangerous but nothing like this. He lacked the intimidation that this one now possessed, and she had never once feared him in the way she did now. He was unstable now… And she couldn't help but think that she was the one who had done this to him.

"Tell me." Sarah said, trying to keep her voice steady. She was trying to create an illusion of control over this situation. But the truth was she really didn't know what she could do anymore.

"_First you will find the beast. He hides somewhere in the Labyrinth and stalks the shadows. You will need to slay it, its growl holds magic in it and when you slay it, with its dying growl, the darkness will be lifted from the Labyrinth for good. The second task is to find the heart of the Labyrinth. Another creature lies there in the mountain, sleeping. It's finally ready to wake up. But it has no heart. Therefore, you have to find its heart and wake it up. The resulting heart beat would heal the creatures within my Labyrinth for good. And finally you will come to me and we will face the end together. The third task is a sacrifice. But you'll know more about that if you complete the other two. If all three tasks are completed then everything will be fine again. If not you will never leave this Labyrinth." _

"But I've never killed anything!" Sarah protested. She couldn't stop thinking about the word 'slay' and the 'beast' she had to kill. For a first task that seemed the most terrible. She couldn't even bare to think about the other two yet. And to have to do all of that in only three days, seemed even more impossible.

The Goblin King smiled at her slightly, with an almost unnoticeable hint of sadness in his eyes, hidden well within the thick layers of madness.

"_No choices this time Sarah… No turning back. Sleep if you want to. If not you'll have to fight. I'll be waiting at the finishing line."_

With that the Goblin King vanished, his white clothes whipping around his body in a frenzy of blurry colours before only an owl was left, flying gracefully into the distance. Its movement was stunning to watch.

Sarah turned towards the Labyrinth and the task she was about to face. She'd give anything to be home again, safe in her bed and ignorant of the Labyrinth's suffering cries. She longed to lie down and sleep, it would be so easy to do so. But she knew she couldn't. She had to stay awake and she had to fight. She would win! As she took her first step forward, somewhere far behind her she could hear a line from the song she'd heard the Goblin King singing before she'd woken up.

"_Eternal and fearful the deer cried_

_Her breathing laboured but her head held high…"_


	5. Chapter 5

**Thank you for the reviews. Love you guys. Hope you guys like this chapter and as usual please review! :)**

Somewhere within the Labyrinth a deep groan sounded. The sky split as a large arrow of lightning cut it open like a wound. As if in great pain the rocks began to moan as they cracked and splintered, raising a single platform high into the air. The platform stood proudly as the weeds and creepers coiled around the rocks and through the cracks in the stone. The sky lit up bright above it and in the single flash of light a thousand screams echoed down. Roses burst from the ground around the platform, some of them stayed where they were, swaying in the wind and others joined the weeds, growing inside the rocks. These roses could live without light. They thrived on the screams from the bright flash, and if someone was to shed blood close to them they would suck that blood up hungrily. The most beautiful but deadly roses in the universe began to sway around the platform. Their deadly thorns were dripping black poison into the ground, glinting menacingly in the dim light.

Deep below the platform something groaned. It was encased in a barrier of roses that concealed it from view like a dark secret. For many years it had been hidden below to Labyrinth, waiting for the time it would wake up. However, now its breath rushed back to its lungs and it was able to breathe in the air around it. Its entire body ached and its blood boiled. It had been asleep far too long… As if it was a child after it had just woken up, but lacking all of the innocence that came with childhood, it opened its eyes squinting at the sudden light. To it, after so long asleep, even the eerie darkness of the place that had served as its tomb was unbearably bright.

Anger flooded its veins as quickly and deeply as the blood that flowed there. It was born from anger, it was born from hate and all that it felt was pure chaos. Anarchy was its only aim and it would get there. And it would destroy anything and everything in its path.

-Line Break-

As Sarah slowly approached the wall at the entrance of the Labyrinth she was plagued with memories. She remembered the first time that she had reached this wall, when she first met Hoggle. She could still remember the initial happiness at first meeting someone in the Labyrinth that was quickly replaced by annoyance when she realised what he was like. She chuckled to herself at the memory smiling as she remembered how much he changed and how kind he'd become. Where was Hoggle now? As soon as the thought crossed her mind she dismissed it. She didn't want Hoggle to be there, at least not at the moment. She didn't want anyone else to have to suffer seeing the Labyrinth in the condition it was in. No, Sarah had already figured out that this was one task she'd have to face alone. Or, maybe not…

Sarah quickly remembered the white band that was wrapped around her wrist securely. This band glimmered beautifully like a pearl and looked much too beautiful to exist in such a tainted world. Sarah raised the arm with it on and rested the fingers of her other hand on the cold surface. It felt odd to the touch, as if there was an aura around it that she couldn't identify. Perhaps he could help her. Perhaps she could summon the Ringmaster…

"Ringmaster, I don't know if you can hear me but I could really do with your help right now." Sarah knew her words sounded weak, but the prospect of this entire task filled her with dread, she was now certain that she didn't want to face it alone. She waited for around a minute before sighing and letting her arms drop to her sides.

"Guess I thought you could help me. I guess that was a stupid idea, huh?" Of course, Sarah received no answer save for the gust of wind from above her. From where she was stood the wind sounded like a wail in her ears and it made her brown hair blow in front of her eyes. Pushing it back hastily behind her ears Sarah stood unsure of what to do. She spared a final glance at the band before raising her head to look back at the Labyrinth. But what she saw made her gasp.

Lay a few inches away from the rocks of the wall was a figure. It was curled on its side, hunched over by the wall. From where Sarah was stood whatever it was simply looked like a shadow, and Sarah was unsure if she should approach it. She gazed at it for a few moments and even from where she was stood she could see its body rising and falling slowly as it drew in breaths. Whatever it was, it was alive.

Sarah hesitantly stepped forward and drew slightly closer. From where she was now she could see it slightly clearer. She could see that it was around her size and it was shaped almost like a human. In fact from where Sarah was stood she couldn't see any reason why it wasn't a human.

"Hey, are you okay?" Sarah asked, choosing to keep at a safe distance until she could determine that it wasn't dangerous.

As soon as she spoke it was as if a switch was clicked. As fast as the flash of lightning that sounded overhead the thing sat up. As it rose to its knees Sarah could see that the black thing that she had mistaken for a shadow was actually a long black dress that swept across the flood. The creature then raised its head to look at Sarah, its eyes flickering like a frightened rabbit. Sarah drew back slightly as she saw its eyes. Up until then she had been certain that it was a human but when she saw its eyes she became unsure. Its eyes were wide and bright green, so bright that it was impossible to say the colour was natural. Around its eyes deep black lines of colour spread and ended in a point near the creature temple. At first Sarah would have thought to say it could simply have been make-up but, when she looked closer, she could clearly see that the lines were perfect and from what she could see were part of the creatures skin. Its lips parted slightly as it breathed, as if it was gasping. The lips were blood red. In Sarah's mind there was no doubt that the creature was female… And it was absolutely stunning.

Sarah found herself staring despite herself, but quickly broke out of her thoughts when the creature let out a startled gasp and jumped away from Sarah. Sarah, quickly identifying its fear dropped to her knees and raised up her hands in surrender.

"Don't worry I'm not going to hurt you…" Sarah said, shuffling forward slightly but stopping when the creature visibly flinched at her advances.

"Can you understand me?" Sarah asked remaining motionless and keeping her tone light to try and reassure the creature that she meant to time. In response the creature raised its head slightly so that its eyes were locked with Sarah's as if it was judging if she was a threat to her.

"Did you hear me? Can you tell me what your name is, please?" Sarah asked again, not willing to give up. She was really hoping that whoever this was would speak to her, she didn't want to face this task alone and if Sarah was honest with herself she was incredibly curious to who and what this creature was. If Sarah tried to turn away now, she was doubtful that she'd be able to leave it. Whatever _she _was, she seemed too perfect and too innocent to leave behind.

The creature turned to face Sarah completely now. It saw her wide and friendly eyes and within their depths it could find nothing to mistrust. It parted its lips to speak.

"My name is Enelya…" The creature spoke. Its voice was high pitched but it had a quality to its voice that made it sound as if it was singing words instead of saying them. Sarah smiled reassuringly her eyes lighting up at the wonder of the mystical beauty.

"Hello Enelya," Sarah said furrowing her brow slightly when she struggled to pronounce the name. Enelya chuckled slightly at the incorrect way of speaking her name and Sarah judged that she might be a little younger than her despite being as tall.

"My names Sarah," Sarah said, smiling and holding out her hand to Enelya.

"Sarah?" Enelya questioned tilting her head inquisitively. Sarah nodded and reached out her hand further. Enelya stared at it for a couple of second more before reaching out her hand to meet Sarah's. The moment that their hands came in contact Sarah felt as though an electric shock had raced through her body. She jerked back and gasped in surprise as Enelya did the same.

Enelya curled back into herself and began to cry as splinters of rain began to fall from the sky onto her shivering body.

"Hey, hey don't worry it's just rain…" Sarah said reaching to touch Enelya's shoulder but retracting her hand when she felt how cold her skin was.

"Wow you're freezing…" Sarah murmured in sympathy.

"But not as cold as you are…" Enelya muttered her body quaking as sobs overtook her.

"What?" Sarah asked confused.

"He wants you Sarah… And he won't stop looking." With that Enelya clutched onto Sarah. Sarah sighed feeling a little uncomfortable with a stranger clutching onto her. So she simply settled with stroking Enelya's light brown hair and relaxing as she felt the soft strands beneath her fingers.

The rain was drenching them to the bone. But at least Sarah wasn't alone any more...


	6. Chapter 6

**Authors Note: Sorry for the very long wait but exams are over guys so I'll have more time for this now! I am actually really happy with the response that this story is getting. Thank you so much guys! Ok this is the next chapter but in some ways it's a little confusing. It introduces the Ringmaster a little bit more, but I suppose it also creates a few more questions at the same time. Hope you guys like it. As always read and review please! Hope you guys like it. **

Sarah shook from the cold as the rain soaked through her dress. Enelya was still lying in her arms, her skin was like ice to the touch, but she seemed to be peacefully sleeping. Sarah's hair hung around her face like threads and her hands gripped onto Enelya's black dress trying to gather heat that wasn't there. Sarah wasn't sure if her intention was to provide the creature in her arms with warmth or to steal it for herself, but either way she knew she was failing. Her own shivering was becoming so violent that she was unsure how Enelya was managing to sleep through them. Each gasp of breath that left Sarah's lips formed a cloud in the frozen air around the two prone bodies, being relentlessly and mercilessly attacked by the storm.

Only now did Sarah really start to realise the beauty of the dress that Enelya was wearing. It was as black as the darkest night and, despite the rain, the material was still soft when she touched it. When she ran her hands across the material it filled her with an almost surreal feeling of comfort and safety. It was a sensation that she had felt little of since she had left the world of the Ringmaster and had arrived at the entrance of the Labyrinth. For a second while she held the fabric in her hands, she could ignore the brutality of the rain and the wind, she could block out any traces of fear in her mind and she could pretend she was back home and safe in her bedroom. Once upon a time, this may have been enough for Sarah… Now it was just a dream. It was a dream that evaporated into thin air the moment that she opened her eyes. No matter how hard Sarah wished to be home, she would always open her eyes to the Labyrinth.

After her first return from the Labyrinth, Sarah had tried to convince herself that her adventures in the Labyrinth were over. But as it turned out, she was only succeeding in deluding herself. Neither the Goblin King nor the Labyrinth were ready to let go of Sarah… Sarah silently feared that they never would be.

"Enelya?" Sarah questioned, shifting the weight of the creature in her lap slightly. Enelya's eyes blinked open, her long dark eyelashes brushing against the skin on Sarah's arm like small butterfly wings.

"Sarah?" Enelya whispered sleepily.

"Come on, we have to get out of the rain before we get too cold," Sarah said softly. She could see that just inside the Labyrinth there was an area of rocks that were piled on top of each other. One of the rocks was slightly further forward than the rest. It formed a type of shelter that, though wasn't stable, was still there. It was what both of them needed to avoid getting sick. If Enelya could even get sick… Sarah wasn't sure, but she knew that if either of them were to get sick it wouldn't help them one bit.

Trying to draw Enelya to her feet proved harder that she had initially thought it would. The girl was about the same size as Sarah in both height and weight. But with the introduction of the storm as a factor Sarah found her strength was failing her slightly. Enelya was shaking slightly as Sarah tried to support her weight, and as more weight was put on her legs she shook violently. It was as if the strain was something her body was not used to.

"Can you help me a bit please?" Sarah said through gritted teeth. The question came out a little harsher and snappier than Sarah had expected it to. If her stepmother had been there then Sarah would have been reprimanded for using such a tone with someone that she had only just met. However, trying to drag a stranger through to shelter in one of the worst storms Sarah had ever experienced meant that manners were incredibly low on Sarah's list of priorities.

The sky above her was now swimming in colours of dark blue, the deep grey of the clouds and a vivid orange that seemed violent and angry like fire. The rain that fell from the depths of colour seemed more like needles that water when it hit her skin. Sarah was suddenly struck with how different being in the Labyrinth felt now. It was like even existing in such a damaged world hurt. Every moment she spent in this world it was like voices were drilling into her mind. The voices were pleading with Sarah to help them. They were similar to the voices that Sarah had heard in her bedroom, but they were so much stronger now. They seemed closer to her now. It was as if they were watching her from within the shadows of the Labyrinth. It was like they were so close they could touch her… But Sarah couldn't see them.

Eventually Sarah and Enelya were upright, but because of the weakness of Enelya's limbs she found she had to rest most of her body weight on Sarah. Sarah, despite feeling weak, lacked the energy it would take to argue with Enelya. So instead she forced her tired body to move forward, supporting Enelya within the walls of the Labyrinth. They both crouched down low when they reached the shelter, and crawled inside so that the rock hovering above them acted like a shield from the storm. The rain caused a tapping noise against the rocks, making it seem as if the storm was a lot more harmless than it had proved to be. Sarah allowed Enelya to rest on the dry ground and stood up running her hands across the rock above them. Testing it to check it wouldn't fall and crush them. She ran her hands across the area where the two rocks met, but from what she could see of it the two were firm enough that they wouldn't separate any time soon. For some reason, to Sarah this whole situation of finding shelter seemed almost a little too convenient. But she wasn't about to argue. At least she'd found a place for them to relax until the storm passed… But as much as this relaxed and calm attitude appealed to Sarah, she couldn't forget that her time on this quest was slowly ticking away.

***Line Break***

The Goblin King sat by himself on his throne is his palace. Before the darkness had spread, the castle, though dark and eerie had held a lot of life within its walls. The goblins that lived there hadn't provided much good company for the Goblin King, but they were company at least. Now the castle was so dark that it was almost impossible for the Goblin King to see. The dancing and music had stopped and all that was left was a delicate silence. The silence was not certain and could easily be broken by just a single movement, but for the moment the silence was heavy and hung in the air like something ominous. It was a silence that was just waiting for something to happen. It was a silence that was waiting to be shattered…

The Goblin King stared into the darkness intently, as if looking for something. He eyed the shifting shadows with a content expression on his face. He was happy hiding in the shadows. This way he could rule his Labyrinth without the lost souls encased within its walls ever seeing him. He would rule by intimidation instead of a deranged notion of fun. He would be the quiet force that would deal with people who dared to face him quickly and smoothly. He didn't much care for the blood or the screams of his victims. He would leave the torture to the creatures with the black hearts, and the endless nothing of death. He had it all planned out so well. Nothing would go wrong.

But as he looked at his future, it was as if he was looking at it through a sheet of thick glass. He could see it clearly enough, but he couldn't get to it… He couldn't get to it because something was missing. Something pure and bright and innocent and…

No.

Ruling the Labyrinth with Sarah at his side was now out of the question. Sarah had ruined his existence and reduced him to despair in the worst way possible. She had rejected him when he had poured his entire soul out to her, to do with as she wished. But she just turned away. Sarah was the enemy. Even if she did win this little game he had invented, she would never live by his side. She would be his yes. But she would be his possession, not his love. He'd do everything in his power this time to keep her and he wouldn't allow her to escape again. The _beast _would make that certain… Her heart was too pure. That alone would be her downfall.

Then it was as if everything in the room snapped back into focus, with a sudden snap like a bullet from a gun. A deep crimson glow flooded the room like a blanket, and a man appeared in the Goblin Kings castle. The man was dressed in all red, with a red top hat and a mask obscuring most of his face. He stood tall and firm but his body in the room seemed almost translucent, as if he was part of the glow. The Goblin King rather than becoming intimidated simply eyes the man in disgust, like one would stare at a child who had just dragged dirt across a floor that you had just cleaned.

Despite the fact he looked like his entire body could fade back into the surroundings at any minute, the Ringmaster was standing strong and powerful, refusing to crumble under the scrutinising gaze of the Goblin King.

"_I figured I'd gotten rid of you."_ The Goblin King stated, his voice cold and sharp and as deadly as the touch of a knife.

"_I'll always be here… You should have learned that by now."_ The Ringmaster spoke with a voice that flowed beautifully. His words alone were beginning to spread a feeling of calm into a room that had previously held nothing but anger and frustration.

"_Yes I did expect that you'd never quite die. I just figured that you'd spend the rest of eternity cowering in the shadows like the cowardly _dog_ that you really are. Your place is in the dream world, not here. You have no power here." _

As soon as the words were spoken it was as if they were a binding curse. The calm and peaceful energy that had begun to seep into the room was yet again overtaken by the evil. The Goblin King's power was undeniably brilliant, and any affect that the Ringmaster had had on the Labyrinth was gone in merely seconds. The Ringmaster smirked slightly, stepping closer to the Goblin King. When they were only inches apart the Ringmasters tone lowered even further. His tone wasn't dangerous, but it was sad.

"_I have no power here but she does. I plan to help her in any way that I can along the way. You will not have your way. If we must fight for control then we must." _The Ringmaster spoke, his voice certain.

"_Why are you so brave all of a sudden? I never wished for this to be a war, not because I wouldn't like to see you suffer any more but because I was always the strongest. You are the weakling who I hope to waste no more time on. I guess you love her, I guess you want to be with her forever. Well that won't happen. Her life is like all mortals. It is like a small candle, flickering in a strong breeze. Fairly soon a large enough gust of wing will extinguish it completely. She will die."_

The Ringmaster hesitated for only a second.

"_Eventually… Yes." _

"_Then why concern yourself?" _The Goblin King asked. His expression was stoic, and as unchanging as the ground on which they stood, but his eyes betrayed genuine confusion. He wanted to understand. It was as if something small the nagged away at him. He wanted to understand why someone could care for another person. Why they could want to save them? Why they could want to protect them and not want to destroy them? It wasn't a concept that made sense to him any more… The emotion that he could hear in the Ringmasters tone wasn't lust… So what was it?

But as soon as that inquisitive nature was there it was gone. After all, nothing good could last in the Goblin Kings soul for long. It was filled with darkness that clung to him like black tar. It made him feel sick. It made him want to harm. It made him…

Feel alive.

The Ringmaster eyed him carefully with something akin to pity. It wasn't an emotion that the Goblin King had seen very much of, nor did he appreciate it.

"_If I thought it would make a difference I would tell you…But you're too far lost for that." _The Ringmaster reached out to the Goblin King. At first the Goblin King was still. He didn't move and he didn't react. However, when the Ringmasters hand actually touched the Goblin King's cheek, and ran softly down to his jaw the Goblin King actually flinched. He recoiled away from the touch of the Ringmaster as if he was a rose thorn that had just pricked him. He recoiled away as if he had never expected the hand to meet his skin. He recoiled away because he thought the Ringmasters hand would simply turn to smoke before the contact actually happened. It turned out that the Ringmaster was a little more attached to the Labyrinth that the Goblin King had anticipated. He was no ghost… He was no dream.

"_She will win Goblin King. And even if you somehow manage to own her body, I will own her mind and her heart." _With that the Ringmaster began to fade into the shadows once again, dragging what was left of his crimson shadows along with him, until they formed one spiral of light around his form. The light tightened and tightened until the Ringmaster was truly nothing more than one area of light.

"_You're weak!" _The Goblin King spat hatefully, like a venomous snake. _"But you shouldn't even be as strong as you are now… You shouldn't be able to touch me!"_

The light in the centre of the room blinked out as it had appeared. Small sparks of it fell to the ground like the remnants of a firework but soon they too were extinguished, until the room was plunged into darkness again.

The Goblin King sat still on his throne again… The throne was his throne of victory. His victory made from fear, broken bones, the promise of a high body count and the control over a world that could once been called beautiful. But his victory was beginning to feel hollow. He was faced by a potential threat. A threat he would never have even called a threat before.

It hadn't even been that long. Why was he getting so powerful already? The Goblin King couldn't… No, he wouldn't allow that man to touch him again. It reminded him that if the Ringmaster succeeded, he would be weak again. He would be open to hurt and pain and fear. That was something that he simply wouldn't allow.

So the Goblin King continued to watch the shadows around him shift softly until the darkness was exactly as he liked it, ravenous and deadly. He wouldn't allow his little game to end. He couldn't.

It was all he had left…

However, he couldn't help but shiver a little when he heard the words that carried to him in the dying breeze, blowing through _his _castle.

"_But yet I am."_


End file.
